the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第22章
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could not be multiplied by five。
To see how William Buggles and his kind fared； I donned my seafaring
togs and started out to get a job。 With me was a young East London
cobbler； Bert； who had yielded to the lure of adventure and joined me for
the trip。 Acting on my advice； he had brought his 〃worst rags；〃 and as we
hiked up the London road out of Maidstone he was worrying greatly for
fear we had come too ill…dressed for the business。
Nor was he to be blamed。 When we stopped in a tavern the publican
eyed us gingerly； nor did his demeanour brighten till we showed him the
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colour of our cash。 The natives along the coast were all dubious； and
〃bean…feasters〃 from London； dashing past in coaches； cheered and jeered
and shouted insulting things after us。 But before we were done with the
Maidstone district my friend found that we were as well clad； if not better；
than the average hopper。 Some of the bunches of rags we chanced upon
were marvellous。
〃The tide is out；〃 called a gypsy…looking woman to her mates； as we
came up a long row of bins into which the pickers were stripping the hops。
〃Do you twig？〃 Bert whispered。 〃She's on to you。〃
I twigged。 And it must be confessed the figure was an apt one。 When
the tide is out boats are left on the beach and do not sail； and a sailor； when
the tide is out； does not sail either。 My seafaring togs and my presence in
the hop field proclaimed that I was a seaman without a ship； a man on the
beach； and very like a craft at low water。
〃Can yer give us a job； governor？〃 Bert asked the bailiff； a kindly
faced and elderly man who was very busy。
His 〃No〃 was decisively uttered； but Bert clung on and followed him
about； and I followed after； pretty well all over the field。 Whether our
persistency struck the bailiff as anxiety to work； or whether he was
affected by our hard…luck appearance and tale； neither Bert nor I
succeeded in making out； but in the end he softened his heart and found us
the one unoccupied bin in the place… …a bin deserted by two other men；
from what I could learn； because of inability to make living wages。
〃No bad conduct； mind ye；〃 warned the bailiff； as he left us at work in
the midst of the women。
It was Saturday afternoon； and we knew quitting time would come
early； so we applied ourselves earnestly to the task； desiring to learn if we
could at least make our salt。 It was simple work； woman's work； in fact；
and not man's。 We sat on the edge of the bin； between the standing hops；
while a pole…puller supplied us with great fragrant branches。 In an hour's
time we became as expert as it is possible to become。 As soon as the
fingers became accustomed automatically to differentiate between hops
and leaves and to strip half…a…dozen blossoms at a time there was no more
to learn。
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We worked nimbly； and as fast as the women themselves； though their
bins filled more rapidly because of their swarming children； each of which
picked with two hands almost as fast as we picked。
〃 Don'tcher pick too clean； it's against the rules；〃 one of the women
informed us； and we took the tip and were grateful。
As the afternoon wore along； we realised that living wages could not
be madeby men。 Women could pick as much as men； and children
could do almost as well as women； so it was impossible for a man to
compete with a woman and half…a…dozen children。 For it is the woman
and the half…dozen children who count as a unit； and by their combined
capacity determine the unit's pay。
〃I say； matey； I'm beastly hungry；〃 said I to Bert。 We had not had any
dinner。
〃Blimey； but I could eat the 'ops；〃 he replied。
Whereupon we both lamented our negligence in not rearing up a
numerous progeny to help us in this day of need。 And in such fashion we
whiled away the time and talked for the edification of our neighbours。
We quite won the sympathy of the pole…puller； a young country yokel； who
now and again emptied a few picked blossoms into our bin； it being part of
his business to gather up the stray clusters torn off in the process of
pulling。
With him we discussed how much we could 〃sub；〃 and were informed
that while we were being paid a shilling for seven bushels； we could only
〃sub；〃 or have advanced to us； a shilling for every twelve bushels。
Which is to say that the pay for five out of every twelve bushels was
withhelda method of the grower to hold the hopper to his work whether
the crop runs good or bad； and especially if it runs bad。
After all； it was pleasant sitting there in the bright sunshine； the golden
pollen showering from our hands； the pungent aromatic odour of the hops
biting our nostrils； and the while remembering dimly the sounding cities
whence these people came。 Poor street people！ Poor gutter folk！
Even they grow earth…hungry； and yearn vaguely for the soil from which
they have been driven； and for the free life in the open； and the wind and
rain and sun all undefiled by city smirches。 As the sea calls to the sailor； so
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calls the land to them； and； deep down in their aborted and decaying
carcasses； they are stirred strangely by the peasant memories of their
forbears who lived before cities were。 And in incomprehensible ways
they are made glad by the earth smells and sights and sounds which their
blood has not forgotten though unremembered by them。
〃No more 'ops； matey；〃 Bert complained。
It was five o'clock； and the pole…pullers had knocked off； so that
everything could be cleaned up； there being no work on Sunday。 For an
hour we were forced idly to wait the coming of the measurers； our feet
tingling with the frost which came on the heels of the setting sun。 In the
adjoining bin； two women and half…a…dozen children had picked nine
bushels： so that the five bushels the measurers found in our bin
demonstrated that we had done equally well； for the half… dozen children
had ranged from nine to fourteen years of age。
Five bushels！ We worked it out to eight…pence ha'penny； or seventeen
cents； for two men working three hours and a half。 Fourpence farthing
apiece！ a little over a penny an hour！ But we were allowed only to 〃sub〃
fivepence of the total sum； though the tally…keeper； short of change； gave
us sixpence。 Entreaty was in vain。 A hard…luck story could not move
him。 He proclaimed loudly that we had received a penny more than our
due； and went his way。
Granting； for the sake of the argument； that we were what we
represented ourselves to benamely； poor men and brokethen here was
out position： night was coming on； we had had no supper； much less
dinner； and we possessed sixpence between us。 I was hungry enough to
eat three sixpenn'orths of food； and so was Bert。 One thing was patent。
By doing 16。3 per cent。 justice to our stomachs； we would expend the
sixpence； and our stomachs would still be gnawing under 83。3 per cent。
injustice。 Being broke again； we could sleep under a hedge； which was
not so bad； though the cold would sap an undue portion of what we had
eaten。 But the morrow was Sunday； on which we could do no work；
though our silly stomachs would not knock off on that account。 Here；
then； was the problem： how to get three meals on Sunday； and two on
Monday （for we could not make another 〃sub〃 till Monday evening）。
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We knew that the casual wards were over…crowded； also； that if we
begged from farmer or villager； there was a large likelihood of our going
to jail for fourteen days。 What was to be done？ We looked at each
other in despair …
… Not a bit of it。 We joyfully thanked God that we were not as other
men； especially hoppers； and went down the road to Maidstone； jingling in
our pockets the half…crowns and florins we had brought from London。
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CHAPTER XVTHE SEA WIFE
You might not expect to find the Sea Wife in the heart of Kent； but that
is where I found her； in a mean street； in the poor quarter of Maidstone。
In her window she had no sign of lodgings to let； and persuasion was
necessary before she could bring herself to let me sleep in her front room。
In the evening I descended to the semi… subterranean kitchen； and talked
with her and her old man； Thomas Mugridge by name。
And as I talked to them； all the subtleties and complexities of this
tremendous machine civilisation vanished away。 It seemed that I went
down through the skin and the flesh to the naked soul of it； and in Thomas
Mugridge and his old woman gripped hold of the essence of this
remarkable English breed。 I found there the spirit of the wanderlust
which has lured Albion's sons across the zones； and I found there the
colossal unreckoning which has tricked the English into foolish
squabblings and preposterous fights； and the doggedness and stubbornness
which have brought them blindly through to empire and greatness； and
likewise I found t
